Carrot juice botulism outbreak prompts FDA
action

Source of Article:http://in.reuters.com/article/health/idINTRE4B25WV20081203

Wed Dec 3, 2008 10:39pm IST

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In September 2006, three
people living in Georgia
developed food-borne botulism that was eventually traced to commercial carrot
juice from a single bottle. Soon thereafter an additional case in Florida and two in Ontario, Canada
surfaced.

One of the 6 botulism patients died 90 days after
illness onset. One year later, two others were still on ventilators. The
remaining three were taken off ventilator support after 54, 90, and 129 days.
Two survivors were at home, two were in rehabilitation facilities, and one
was still hospitalized.

All the patients had consumed carrot juice from the
same manufacturer. According to Dr. Anandi N. Sheth at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia
and colleagues, an investigation eventually determined that inadequate
refrigeration probably led to botulinum toxin
production.

In this instance, the investigators point out, the pasteurized carrot juice had no protection
against the bacterium Clostridium botulinum other
than refrigeration. "This investigation demonstrates that carrot juice
and other processed foods with no natural barriers to C. botulinum
germination require additional chemical or thermal barriers," the
investigators wrote in the medical journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Accordingly, they report, "In June 2007, the
FDA modified its guidance for refrigerated low-acid juices to recommend
adding a validated juice-treatment method, such as acidification or
appropriate thermal treatment, to decrease the risk of C. botulinum
contamination, should any breaches in refrigeration occur."

"Given the difficulty of maintaining
refrigeration for vast volumes of internationally distributed juice, adoption
of these additional controls will help prevent similar outbreaks," the
investigators conclude. .